When are we going to get some expansion news?

[Yeol]

People say February. I personally hope they don't delay it much longer. The more they delay the higher the expectations people are going to have.

[EtherRose]

Previously with SB/SHB, how many months before release were the expansions usually announced? If it’s announced in February, is a release in 2021 still possible?

Yes, every expansion has been released at 2 year intervals at the end of June to start of July.

Heavensward - June 23, 2015
Stormblood - June 20, 2017
Shadowbringers - July 2, 2019
*New Expansion* - July(ish), 2021

They stated a few months back they are back on their regular schedule. So i assume this. And if it makes you feel better. All previous expansion video trailers/info were released Mid-February to March/April.

[MistakeNot]

But isn’t it one of the marketing rule not to use names that have no meaning like that, “Larboardhollow”? , and lean towards commonly used inspiring names?

That must have been before the Internet and search engines.
Nowadays using a common word just means people get lots of hits for different things when searching for that word, while using a made up word results in people easily finding your product.

[Recon1o6]

if there's been a 2 month delay, its safe to say that the ETA of the expansion will be late july to early september. Which leaves feb as the announcement, and 5.5 in late april/early may and the tying off patches in the next 3 months (5.51, 5.55, 5.56)

august 24th is my estimate for the new expansion for the following reasons:

-it is the day ARR launched officially, making for a fitting anniversary
-summer holidays in the west- SE higher ups will want to emphasize that period for significant dosh £€$
-reasonable date taking into account pandemic delay and dev tendency to rush expansions

[Seraphor]

Yes, every expansion has been released at 2 year intervals at the end of June to start of July.

Heavensward - June 23, 2015
Stormblood - June 20, 2017
Shadowbringers - July 2, 2019
*New Expansion* - July(ish), 2021

They stated a few months back they are back on their regular schedule. So i assume this. And if it makes you feel better. All previous expansion video trailers/info were released Mid-February to March/April.

They announced that they were back on their schedule but having suffered a standing 2 month delay.
This means their schedule is back on track but consistently 2 months behind previous cycles. So patches are still 16 weeks apart, but 2 months later than they would have been if there was no delay due to covid.

This means the next expansion is likely due late August to September. October at the latest.

Previous announcement cycles have taken place across three FanFests starting in November, then in late Jan/early Feb, and finally in April.
Instead of three FanFests, we're getting two online showcases, the first of which is taking place February 5th, and the second will be in May TBC.

[Gameovers]

Patience my friend. You have acknowledged that we are in the middle of a pandemic, and it has caused difficulty and delays for the dev team. No need to pull a Cartman, and cryoprison yourself or anything. Though I will admit, the covidpocolypse is making such alternatives very attractive.

I see you're a lady of nicknames. Tho Covidpocolypse while good... Tom clancey's The Division is still a fav of mine.

[Quintessa]

That gif is begging for another mouse to run the background while holding a sign "maybe".

[EtherRose]

They announced that they were back on their schedule but having suffered a standing 2 month delay.
This means their schedule is back on track but consistently 2 months behind previous cycles. So patches are still 16 weeks apart, but 2 months later than they would have been if there was no delay due to covid.

This means the next expansion is likely due late August to September. October at the latest.

Previous announcement cycles have taken place across three FanFests starting in November, then in late Jan/early Feb, and finally in April.
Instead of three FanFests, we're getting two online showcases, the first of which is taking place February 5th, and the second will be in May TBC.

Right. However if that 2 month delay actually hurt the production we wouldn't be seeing info regarding the next expansion in February. The fact that we are getting info in February like past expansions instead of 1-2 months later means that possibly there is no delay and the expansion will still release in late June to early July.

[Mansion]

Right. However if that 2 month delay actually hurt the production we wouldn't be seeing info regarding the next expansion in February. The fact that we are getting info in February like past expansions instead of 1-2 months later means that possibly there is no delay and the expansion will still release in late June to early July.

We had info on expansions on November of the preceding year (the first fanfest) though. On the top of my mind, November 2018 we had the USA fanfest, with a showcase of the short trailer, some infos (I think they showed the Nu Mou as a beast tribe and Rak Tikka / Ahm Araeng), that kind of general info. The February Fanfest in 2019 was Europe where we had more info again (Viera, other zones etc) and then the third fanfest had the rest.
We had nothing last november, so technically we are in the two months delay. I guess the 6 February showcase will drop expansion name, partial trailer and bits of info (plot, zones, job teasing, this kind of stuff).
I really don't believe we will get an expansion this summer. We still have 5.5, which should be a pretty long patch too.

[Vickii]

I heard that was officially denied by the devs, though.

It depends how they denied it. If they were asked an outright question then they have no choice but to deny it.

Can’t announce it before it’s ready and can’t even smile and shake the head. They have to flat out deny it when asked.

It’s obviously not 100 percent but the timing of the registration, the cryptic message they released lately and just how it flows with the other names of expansions I’d say it’s quite likely.